Starting pay for teachers in the Canutillo Independent School District will reach the $50,000 mark starting in the 2018-19 school year after the Board of Trustees approved a compensation package that gives all employees a salary increase.

The new salary package for CISD employees increased the salary for teachers with zero year’s experience to $50,000, up from the $47,500 they receive this year. This makes teachers in Canutillo among the highest paid in El Paso County.

“We appreciate our teachers and employees and we wanted to give them a compensation package that matches their commitment to our students and community,” said Superintendent Pedro Galaviz. “We know we have to compete for employees, and I feel this is giving Canutillo an edge over other districts in the region.”

The $1.3 million in raises the CISD Board approved this week includes a 2 percent general pay increases for all employees. The Board will approve the $56.2-million budget for the 2018-19 school year later this summer.

Canutillo’s compensation plan also makes adjustments to teacher stipends. Some of the stipend increases include $2,500 to $3,000 for secondary math and science teachers, as well as $1,500 to $2,500 for self-contained special education teachers.

Administrators said the stipend changes were necessary.

“The teaching field stipends we have approved will keep us competitive with peer districts in El Paso,” said Martha Carrasco, CISD’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “We know that in order to keep and attract high-quality teachers, we have to give them an incentive. I feel these stipends will help us recruit and retain the best.”

CISD Board President Blanca Trout said trustees were elated to be able to give employees throughout the District a just pay increase.

“We’ve raised the bar for our District and the expectations we set as a community are high,” Trout said. “Our compensation package needs to match the expectations we set for teachers and employees.”